It Pays to Discover that Discover Card is Coming to Apple Pay This Fall

Posted by Jim Tanous on April 27, 2015

Apple has significantly improved the reach of Apple Pay, the company’s secure mobile payments service, since its launch last fall. Initially limited to a handful of retail outlets, card issuers, and apps, the service is now supported at thousands of locations, and is compatible with the vast majority of banks and card issuers in the United States. But there was one notable holdout: Discover.

Thankfully for Discover cardholders, that will soon change. The alternative credit card of choice for many, Discover announced this morning that it will bring support for Apple Pay “beginning this fall,” while maintaining its popular “Cashback” bonus program. Diane Offereins, Discover’s president of payment services, provided a statement in the company’s press release:

As the mobile payments landscape matures, Discover remains committed to giving cardmembers secure options for using their cards and mobile devices. Discover’s focus on simplicity and value for our cardmembers aligns well with the way Apple Pay makes purchases easy and convenient.

In addition to standard Discover credit cards, those using cards issued by the company’s partners, as well as those with Discover Debit cards, will also be able to use Apple Pay.

Discover will join existing Apple Pay partners Visa, MasterCard, and American Express, as well as a host of regional banks and issuers. This will give Apple Pay a reach of well more than 90 percent of all card payment services in the United States.

Regardless of your bank or card issuer, Apple Pay requires the use of an iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, or iPhone 5 or newer synced to an Apple Watch.